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Yahaya Bello wants court to try him in Kogi
Yahaya Bello wants court to try him in Kogi
The immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, who was absent for his scheduled arraignment and plea bargain, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Thursday, wrote the court a letter that he would prefer to be tried in his state.
Bello, in the letter he wrote through his team of lawyers led by Abdulwahab Mohammed, claimed that only the Kogi High Court in Lokoja has the territorial jurisdiction to preside over the allegations that were brought against him.
Adeola Adedipe, one of the lawyers in Bello’s team, told the court about the letter.
Addressing the court, Adedipe said after the close of the last sitting, he reported back to his team what transpired in court and he was informed that a letter had been written on behalf of the defendant to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
“Requesting in substance, that this matter be administratively transferred to the Federal High Court, Lokoja Judicial Division, which we believe has territorial jurisdiction to handle this matter.
“That letter was received at the Chief Judge’s Chambers and the office of the honourable CJ. We wrote the prosecution team through Mr Iseoluwa Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, on June 13, notifying him that administrative steps had been activated, whereof he was directed to provide a response to the request for transfer of the matter,” Adedipe said.
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He, however, noted that he wasn’t aware that there had been a response by the prosecution team in compliance with the directive of the CJ.
“We are also not in receipt of any decision that has been made on this request by the CJ,” he said.
He further added that they have filed an affidavit to this effect and attached two documents referencing the same.
He told the court that he isn’t urging anything from the court at the moment although his duty is to the court.
He added that he just wanted to present the facts as they were.
The prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinhero, asked the court to compel the defence lawyer to say why the defendant was not in court, despite an undertaking he made on June 13, to ensure his presence in court for his scheduled arraignment which has been adjourned multiple times.
Pinehero contended that the letter to the CJ did not discharge the undertaking made by Bello’s counsel at the previous sitting.
He said a situation where a petition is forwarded against a judge to the National Judicial Council, does not stop proceedings on cases pending before the judge.
He said the court should invite Bello’s counsels to show cause why they should not be dealt with for contemptuous conduct.
He urged the trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, to dismiss the tales of the defence lawyer as “dilatory and a further attempt to treat this court with scorn.”
Bello is facing charges bordering on money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of about N80.2bn brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Yahaya Bello wants court to try him in Kogi
metro
Court strikes out Bobrisky’s fundamental rights suit against EFCC
Court strikes out Bobrisky’s fundamental rights suit against EFCC
Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has dismissed a fundamental rights suit instituted against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju (a.k.a Bobrisky) alleging breach of his rights by the Commission and seeking N200million damages.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, November 28, 2024, Justice Owoeye held that Bobrisky’s claims of encroachment of his rights lacked merit with no credible evidence to justify the reliefs he sought from the court.
One of the reliefs sought was an “ an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondents” from harassing, declaring him wanted, arresting or detaining him “whether by themselves, their officers, servants, agents…”.
In another relief, Bobrisky prayed the court to award the sum of N200million against the EFCC as damages he allegedly suffered from the activities of the Commission regarding his arrest and trial.
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After evaluating all the reliefs he sought, Justice Owoeye ruled that “having evaluated the evidence placed before this Court by the Applicant, it is evident that the Applicant has failed to provide credible evidence to justify the award of the declaratory and injunctive reliefs sought by him”.
The judge further stated that, “in the final analysis, I hold the claims of violation of fundamental rights against the 1st and 2nd Respondents were not made out of the affidavit evidence placed before this Court. The claim of the Applicant against the 1st to the 2nd Respondents hereby lacks merit and is liable to be dismissed. It is accordingly dismissed”. The judge also refused to award any damage against the EFCC.
Bobrisky had dragged both the EFCC and the National Assembly before the court and all the reliefs he sought were thrown out. He was originally arrested by the EFCC on April 4, 2024 by the Commission for Naira abuse. His arrest eventually led to his six months conviction by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on April 12, 2024.
Court strikes out Bobrisky’s fundamental rights suit against EFCC
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Police arrest 5 suspected trans-border arms dealers, recover 5 Israeli rifles, others
Police arrest 5 suspected trans-border arms dealers, recover 5 Israeli rifles, others
Operatives of the Nigerian Police have arrested 5 suspected trans-border arms dealers during a major operation in Zamfara State.
A statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the suspects were arrested on 18th November, 2024, with several arms recovered from them.
The statement reads : “The Nigeria Police Force in its unyielding resolution and unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens, continues to work tirelessly to prevent and combat all forms of crime and criminality.
These relentless efforts are paying off, as the Force has successfully made the arrest of five (5) suspects involved in trans-border gun running. The suspects identified as Adamu Noma ‘m’, Matthew Audu ‘m’, Andrew Poyi ‘m’, Aminu Sani ‘m’, and Aminu Talha ‘m’ were apprehended by the operatives of the FID-IRT on the 18th of November, 2024 in Zamfara State.
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Upon arrest and conducted search, 10 locally fabricated Ak-47 rifles, 5 Isreali Ak-47 rifles, 1 revolver pistol, 1 pump action rifle, 20 rounds of Ak-47 ammunition, and 1 welding machine for fabrication of rifles were recovered from the suspect.
These feats, and several more recorded by police operatives across the country are indications of the steadfastness and commitment of the current police leadership to decimate and subdue criminal activities and insecurity in general in the country.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD., NPM., has re-echoed his directive to operatives of the Force, particularly, tactical units, to mop up every illegal arms and ammunition, and see to the total dismantling of local manufacturers of illicit arms and ammunition and dangerous weapons by all means. ”
Police arrest 5 suspected trans-border arms dealers, recover 5 Israeli rifles, others
metro
Army releases investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo
Army releases investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo
The Nigerian Army has released investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo.
According to the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), this development followed an intense media campaign advocating for his release.
In a social media post on Friday, FIJ revealed that the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, had detained its founder, Fisayo Soyombo, for three days.
“The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt has been detaining our founder, Fisayo Soyombo, for three days. Journalism is not a crime,” FIJ wrote.
In its response, the Nigerian Army, through the Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Danjuma, stated that Soyombo was arrested at an illegal bunkering site.
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Confirming Soyombo’s release on Friday evening, FIJ in a post via X said: “We can confirm that our founder @fisayosoyombo has now been released by @HQNigerianArmy, following the intense media campaign you all mounted.
“FIJ acknowledges the Nigerian Army’s deliberate mischaracterisation to suggest an involvement in “illegal oil bunkering”. FIJ will also address this statement appropriately.
“Our immediate concern is regarding the safety of ‘Fisayo Soyombo in view of extensive information sharing with the Army on his fieldwork during the period of his detention. We are assessing the situation and hoping that his safety will not be jeopardised after release.”
Army releases investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo
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